שמואל א, פרק ו׳, פסוק ח׳

The Philistines set up a deliberate test to determine the true cause of the severe plagues that have struck their land. To do this, they prepare the Ark of God, along with a specific guilt offering, to be sent back to Israel [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The Ark is placed directly onto or inside the cart [רד״ק]. Alongside it, the Philistines include golden objects crafted in the exact shape of the plagues that afflicted them. These items serve as a guilt offering dedicated to God, and they are carefully stored inside a designated box positioned right next to the Ark [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Once everything is loaded, the physical phase of the test begins. The Philistines must release the cart and let it travel entirely on its own. They are to step away from the cows and allow them to walk freely, without any human driver guiding their path [מצודת דוד]. This release marks the beginning of their trial to see if the cart will move by its own power toward the border of Israel, a test whose outcome will only become clear further down the road [מלבי״ם].